Clint Frazier would have received an injection, and really, when it comes to his life as a Yankee, what more could he have asked for?
Aarons, Hicks, and Judge, who were out, were going to be gone months if the 2020 season had started on time, and Giancarlo Stanton would likely have started the year on the disabled list as well. The Yankees were looking at a regular outfield to start the season for Frazier, Brett Gardner, and Mike Tauchman, with Miguel Andujar thrown in if he had shown himself capable of straying away from third base.
Frazier could have forced the Yankees to start it even more when the healthy players returned. He could have restored his courage to become more desirable in an exchange so that he could free himself from the excess of New York bats and really start his career.
Now, the Yankees camp will open Wednesday with Hicks and Stanton expected to be full and Judge tends to be ready for the 60-game sprint. All three are fragile; again, so is Frazier. Right now, Frazier’s path is blocked not only for the start time, but also for the backup game. The Yanks will have an open field / DH overflow with Gardner, Hicks, Judge, Stanton, Tauchman, Andujar, Mike Ford and Luke Voit.
Frazier doesn’t play first or third (like Andujar), and therefore even with a 30-player roster for the first few weeks, the right-hander may not even be part of the team. Three months ago, especially since he was hitting so well in the exhibition season, it could have been argued that no Yankee (perhaps no New York player) was beginning to be much more vital. Now, he’s looking to be in a taxi squad without winning at-bats or on-duty time.
At just 60 games (if the MLB is lucky), the beginning of the season is kind of a season. So who is it most important to in New York?
1. Yoenis Céspedes: If the season broke badly for Frazier, it has ideally broken for Cespedes. A healthy standard season would not have started. Now he is ready and the National League will have DH. Perhaps, having earned more than $ 130 million, you won’t find the motivation. But in reality you now have a chance to prove yourself for 2021 if you can still be an impact puncher. It will be fascinating to see what you have after so long away.
2. James Paxton: See Lawns. The healthy season wouldn’t have started with the free agency looming. With financial success in the industry this season, teams hope the next market will be more difficult even for a great player like Mookie Betts. Can the frail Paxton stay healthy for 12 starts (plus the postseason if the Yankees get there) to improve his value? Masahiro Tanaka and probably JA Happ will also be free agents in the Yankees’ rotation.
3. Brodie Van Wagenen: There is a strong feeling that a new owner will come for the Mets. Will you want to keep your legacy GM? Luis Rojas has not yet managed a game and would be on the clock also in this scenario.
4. Gerrit Cole: It has a much smaller window to make a good first impression. The Yankees’ magic number to win the American League East decreases with Cole’s 12 elite outings.
5. Edwin Díaz: In a 60 game season, each game is equivalent to approximately 2.7 games from a normal schedule. So imagine blowing up one of them when you’re already starting far behind with the fan base. Empty stadiums will eliminate booing, not pressure.
6. DJ LeMahieu: The industry did not fully understand its value outside of Colorado after the 2018 season, and ended with a two-year, $ 24 million deal. I was looking much more than that after this season in a pandemic-free world. Now?
7. Jacob deGrom: Due to a late start to his career in terms of age, deGrom’s Hall of Fame chances are not going to be over accumulation. Essentially you need six more seasons as good as the first six. A third consecutive Cy Young would be huge. This is my favorite scenario: He does it going 12-0 this year, giving him more wins in a 60 game season than in either of his two Cy Young seasons.
8. Gary Sanchez: Through 60 games last year he was tied for the AL home run lead. But he’s been on the disabled list four times in the past two seasons, all because of lower-body problems. The Yankees no longer have Austin Romine’s constant comfort as their backup. Can Kyle Higashioka handle the workload if Sánchez loses time? Missing, for example, 15 games is now 25 percent of the season. Will you ever prove to be an excellent, robust and stable interpreter?
9. Marcus Stroman: Another guy who’ll have to find his way in the next free-agent market, like teammates Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha. Stroman and Paxton could be looking at the same suitors. His last three years: Stroman has a 3.65 ERA and 10 wins over the replacement, Paxton is 3.54 and 9.3. Who handles the shortened season better?
10. Deivi García: For the Yankees, put Mike King, Jonathan Loaisiga and Clarke Schmidt in this, too. The Yankees are unlikely to bring Happ, Paxton, and Tanaka back next year (if he was a gambler, he would go with Tanaka as the most likely return). They’ll be looking for cheap rotation alternatives to join Cole, and the Yankees expect a combination of Domingo German, Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino. Who from the Yankees’ young and interesting gun group gets tickets and gets the most out of proving they belong in 2021?
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